DAY EXCURSIONS Conditions: ·          All tours require a minimum of 2 participants and a maximum of 4. ·          Tours must be re-confirmed on arrival. ·          Tours are conducted in a Toyota Land Cruiser, comprehensively insured for public liability. Burnt Mountain, Twyfelfontein and the Valley of the Organ Pipes Depart from the Brandberg Rest Camp after breakfast, and enjoy a spectacular view of the sunrise on the BrandbergMountain, the highest in Namibia. Experience peace as we travel trough the tranquil landscape of Damaraland during the early morning light. Visit Sorris Sorris, a settlement of the local Damara people. Thereafter we visit the Petrified Forest and continue towards the BurntMountain and the Organ Pipes. These the strange geological features will be explained to you during the excursion. On arrival at Twyfelfontein, a picnic-lunch will be served. After lunch, we will go on a short excursion into the Twyfelfontien Valley were you will see one of the world’s largest concentrations of rock engravings. On the way back we will take you on a Safari expedition, far off the beaten track, where with luck you may be able to view free-ranging game. e.g. Springbok, Oryx, Ostrich, Zebra, Kudu, Jackal, and possibly the world renowned Desert Elephant. The route will take you through spectacular landscapes. Granite “Koppies”, vegetated Kalahari sand dunes and the UgabRiver valley. We will be back at the Brandberg Rest Camp late in the afternoon where you can enjoy our hospitality. ± 8-hour excursion, packed lunch included 360° Around the Brandberg Depart from the Brandberg Rest Camp after breakfast; Visit various interesting sites on the way. e.g. White Scorpion, Namib Rock 2, Elephant rock, desolated mining sites (Tourmaline & Pyrophyllite). See numerous Welwitchia mirabilis plants (living fossils some up to 2000 years old). Buy crystals of Quartz and Amethyst direct from the local diggers. See spectacular rock formations and glacial striations 300 million years old. Try the Dead Sea experience. Enjoy lunch in the shade of massive Acacia erioloba, Camel Thorn, trees in the Ugab River Valley. See extraordinary geological features of contorted and folded 700 million year old sedimentary rocks, exposed by the mighty power of the Ugab River. Exit the Ugab Valley via the “divorce pass” and feel the desolation. The scenery is unbelievable. Then all of a sudden, Kalahari aged sand dunes occur in the middle of Damaraland. An abundance of desert succulent flora can be seen all along the way. e.g. Parkinsonia afrikana, the wild hair tree, different Euphorbia species, toxic milky latex trees, Sterculia africana, the African chestnut tree, and various Commiphora, paper trees, species. Free roaming animals will also be seen and if our timing is right, there is a good chance to see the world-renowned desert elephants. We will be back at the Brandberg Rest Camp late in the afternoon where you can enjoy our hospitality. ± 10-hour excursion, packed lunch included Spitzkoppe Excursion Depart from the Brandberg Rest Camp after breakfast. We deviate from the main road on an off road excursion to visit the water pumping station in the Omaruru River which provides drinking water for the village of Uis. Astonishing views of the Spitskoppe will be seen. On this route the elephant’s foot Adenia pechuelii and Leadwood Combretum imberbe and various other succulent plant species can also be seen while descending down into the Omaruru River valley. We approach the Spitskoppe from a northerly direction; which is not the norm, thus giving an entirely different view of the mountains to that which most other tourists see. Geologically the Spitzkoppe are a series of deep seated igneous magma intrusive rocks. If there ever was an upper volcanic lava sequence as in the nearby Erongo Mountains these have long since been eroded. The Granites aged at about 126 million years old intruded into older Damara granites aged at about 500 million years old. Differential erosion between these two rock masses has resulted in the rising inselbergs of the harder Spitzkoppe granite being left standing proud. The granite is composed of the minerals pink feldspar, quartz and minor micas and is very coarse grained ± 8-hour excursion, packed lunch included Specialised Geological Tours Requirements: All tours require a minimum of 2 participants and a maximum of 7. Tours must be booked at least 15 days in advance and re-confirmed 3 days prior to departure. Tours are conducted in a modified VW Combi, which has road worthy and passenger liability. The guide is a qualified geologist with some 30 years experience in exploration and mining. Description: The Brandberg Rest Camp can, with prior arrangement, organise specialist tours lead by a qualified geologist. These can vary from 1 to 2 days and commence out of Windhoek, but can be joined in Uis. The desert environment of the Brandberg Area gives spectacular views of the geological attractions. Rock outcrops are everywhere and thus the age relationships, which are so varied in the area, are easily seen. Geological formations from 750 million years old to today occur; from lavas which signalled the continental break up of Africa and South America, to evidence of ancient ice sheets, soaring hot deserts, and massive granitic intrusions 30 kilometers across can all be seen. The one day tour visits the world renowned White Lady rock painting, the unique Brandberg Granite, the now closed Uis Tin Mine, once the biggest open pit tin mine in the world, folding in Damara sediments 700 million years old, various Damara Granites with spectacular desert weathering features, glacial striations 300 million years old and an old tourmaline mine. The two-day tour adds the following on the second day. The Karoo lavas and fossilized dunes sand, some 132 million years old in the Goboboseb Mountains, local diggers mining quartz, amethyst and prehnite, the tin-tungsten-copper mine at Brandberg West, and if time allows at trip into one of the spectacular Brandberg Gorges. The price for the one-day tour includes all accommodation, sharing double rooms, and meals, including packed lunch, at the BRC from the evening before, to the morning after the tour. Similarly the two-day tour includes the cost of the BRC and meals ending with breakfast on the third day. Drinks are excluded. N$/person 2 people 3 people 4 people 5 people 6 people 7 people 1 day tour N$ 2 280 N$ 1 720 N$ 1 500 N$ 1 322 N$ 1 240 N$ 1 150 2 day tour N$ 3 490 N$ 2 495 N$ 2 225 N$ 1 963 N$ 1 870 N$ 1 735 Participants should bring, at least 4 liters of drink per day, hat, walking shoes, sunglasses, sun cream. The guide has valid public driving permit and first aid certificate. If requested longer 4x4 tours into inner Damarland, which involves some camping, can be organised.